Solder attach film and method of forming solder ball using the same
A solder attach film includes a first cover film, a flux layer, a solder layer, and a second cover film, and it can be treated or kept in a roll shape. A solder ball forming method using the solder attach film includes preparing a semiconductor package or a semiconductor die, adhering the solder attach film, gridding, and reflowing. In the solder attach film adhering operation, the first cover film and the second cover film are removed, and the flux layer is adhered to electrically conductive pads of the semiconductor package or the semiconductor die. Subsequently, in the reflowing operation, the flux layer is volatilized and removed, and the solder layer is fused and fixed to the electrically conductive pads, so that solder balls are formed.
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a solder attach film and a method of forming a solder ball using the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, a semiconductor package protects a semiconductor die from external heat, humidity, and mechanical load, and provides an electrical passage for allowing an electrical signal from the semiconductor die to be transmitted to a main board.
The semiconductor package may include a substrate, a semiconductor die that is adhered to the substrate so as to be electrically connected thereto, an encapsulant for encapsulating the semiconductor die, solder balls that are fused and fixed to the substrate so as to be electrically connected to the main board.
The solder balls are generally formed on the substrate through dotting flux, dropping solder ball, and reflowing solder ball. Dotting the flux is that a predetermined amount of flux that has predetermined viscosity and is volatilized at a high temperature is dotted on electrically conductive pads of the substrate. Dropping the solder ball is that solder balls are dropped on the flux to be temporarily fixed to the flux. Reflowing is that the substrate is put into a high-temperature furnace. Then, the flux is volatilized and removed, and the solder balls are fused to be electrically and mechanically connected to the electrically conductive pads of the substrate.
As described above, in the related art, the solder balls are formed on the substrate by dotting the flux, dropping the solder ball, and reflowing in sequence. Of course, a flux dotting apparatus, a solder ball dropping apparatus, and a reflow apparatus are needed to perform these processes.
Therefore, the related art requires many processes and apparatuses, which causes problems that it takes a lot of time to form the solder balls and a defect rate in a solder ball manufacturing process increases. For example, when the solder ball does not drop at an exact position when dropping the solder ball, solder balls may be doubly formed on one electrically conductive pad, or no solder ball may be formed thereon.
Further, the related art uses expensive solder balls, which causes an increase in a packaging cost. That is, the smaller the diameter of the solder ball, the higher the manufacturing cost of the solder ball. Therefore, in recent years, solder balls having a smaller size need to be used in order to minimize pitches and reduce the size of a chip. Thus, the packaging cost is on an increasing trend.
Of course, as described above, in the related art, the flux dotting apparatus and the solder ball dropping apparatus are necessarily used to form the solder balls, which causes an increase in the initial cost of the apparatuses.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONIn accordance with one embodiment, a solder attach film includes a first cover film, a flux layer, a solder layer, and a second cover film, and it can be treated or kept in a roll shape. A solder ball forming method using the solder attach film includes preparing a semiconductor package or a semiconductor die, adhering the solder attach film, gridding, and reflowing. In the solder attach film adhering operation, the first cover film and the second cover film are removed, and the flux layer is adhered to electrically conductive pads of the semiconductor package or the semiconductor die. Subsequently, in the reflowing operation, the flux layer is volatilized and removed, and the solder layer is fused and fixed to the electrically conductive pads, so that solder balls are formed.
The present invention will be more apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
Common reference numerals are used throughout the drawings and the detailed description to indicate the same elements.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTIONReferring to
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The first cover film 110 is a substantially planar film or planar tape. In addition, the first cover film 110 may be formed of any insulating or conductive material that does not chemically and physically interact with the flux layer 120. Further, the first cover film 110 may be formed of a flexible material such that the solder attach film 100 of the present invention is treated or kept in a roll shape. Further, the first cover film 110 may be formed of a material capable of being easily separated from the flux layer 120. In addition, the first cover film 110 may be formed of a material for allowing only the flux layer 120 to minimally remain on the first cover film 110 when the first cover film 110 is separated from the flux layer 120.
The flux layer 120 is adhered to the surface of the first cover film 110. The flux layer 120 may be formed of resin, an activator, or a solvent, but the material forming the flux layer 120 is not limited thereto. The flux layer 120 is used to clean the surface of the solder layer 130, prevent the reoxidation thereof, and reduce the surface tension thereof when the solder layer 130 is fused. Further, the flux layer 120 should be formed with a thickness larger than a predetermined value. This is because, when the thickness of the flux layer 120 is smaller than the predetermined value, viscosity is lowered, which makes it difficult to smoothly perform manufacturing processes.
The solder layer 130 is formed on the flux layer 120. The solder layer 130 may be formed of a material selected from a Sn—Pb alloy, a Sn—Pb—Ag alloy, a Sn—Ag alloy, a Sn—Ag—Cu alloy, a Sn—Pb—Bi alloy, and equivalents thereof, but the material forming the solder layer 130 is not limited thereto. As described above, when the solder layer 130 contains silver (Ag), the conductivity of the solder layer 130 is further improved. In addition, as described above, when the solder layer 130 contains bismuth (Bi), the melting point of the solder layer 130 is lowered. Additionally, in recent years, since the diameter of the solder ball formed on the semiconductor die or the semiconductor package is in the range of about 1 to 100 micrometers, it is suitable that the thickness of the solder layer 130 be in the range of about 1 to 100 micrometers.
The second cover film 140 is a substantially planar film or planar tape. The second cover film 140 may be formed of any material that does not chemically and physically interact with the solder layer 130. In addition, the second cover film 140 may be formed of a flexible material such that the solder attach film 100 of the present invention is treated or kept in a roll shape. Further, the second cover film 140 may be formed of a material capable of being easily separated from the solder layer 130. In addition, the second cover film 140 may be formed of a material for allowing only the solder layer 130 to minimally remain on the second cover film 140 when the second cover film 140 is separated from the solder layer 130. For example, the second cover film 140 may be formed of a polymer such as PET, PE, or PO.
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This disclosure provides exemplary embodiments of the present invention. The scope of the present invention is not limited by these exemplary embodiments. Numerous variations, whether explicitly provided for by the specification or implied by the specification, such as variations in structure, dimension, type of material and manufacturing process, may be implemented by one skilled in the art in view of this disclosure.
Claims
1. A solder ball forming method comprising:
- preparing a semiconductor die comprising a plurality of electrically conductive pads formed on a surface thereof;
- preparing a solder attach film comprising a first cover film, a flux layer formed on the first cover film, a solder layer formed on the flux layer, and a second cover film formed on the solder layer, and barrier ribs formed between the first cover film and the second cover film so as to penetrate the flux layer and the solder layer;
- removing the first cover film from the solder attach film;
- adhering the solder attach film such that the flux layer is adhered to the surface of the semiconductor die and the barrier ribs are aligned to areas not corresponding to the electrically conductive pads;
- removing the second cover film so the flux layer and the solder layer remain in the areas corresponding to the electrically conductive pads;
- and putting the semiconductor die, the flux layer, and the solder layer into a furnace to volatilize and remove the flux layer and to fuse and fix the solder layer to the electrically conductive pads, thereby forming solder balls.
2. The solder ball forming method according to claim 1, wherein the solder layer is one selected from the group consisting of a Sn—Pb alloy, a Sn—Pb—Ag alloy, a Sn—Ag alloy, a Sn—Ag—Cu alloy, and a Sn—Pb—Bi alloy.
3. A solder ball forming method comprising:
- preparing a semiconductor package comprising a substrate, a semiconductor die electrically connected to the substrate, and a plurality of electrically conductive pads formed on the substrate;
- preparing a solder attach film comprising a first cover film, a flux layer formed on the first cover film, a solder layer formed on the flux layer, and a second cover film formed on the solder layer, and barrier ribs formed between the first cover film and the second cover film so as to penetrate the flux layer and the solder layer;
- removing the first cover film from the solder attach film;
- adhering the solder attach film such that the flux layer is adhered to a surface of the substrate of the semiconductor package and the barrier ribs are aligned to areas not corresponding to the electrically conductive pads;
- removing the second cover film so the flux layer and the solder layer remain in the areas corresponding to the electrically conductive pads of the substrate;
- and putting the semiconductor package, the flux layer, and the solder layer into a furnace to volatilize and remove the flux layer and to fuse and fix the solder layer to the electrically conductive pads, thereby forming solder balls.
4. The solder ball forming method according to claim 3, wherein the solder layer is one selected from the group consisting of a Sn—Pb alloy, a Sn—Pb—Ag alloy, a Sn—Ag alloy, a Sn—Ag—Cu alloy, and a Sn—Pb—Bi alloy.
5. The solder ball forming method according to claim 3 wherein an aperture is formed in the substrate, the semiconductor die being positioned in the aperture.
6. The solder ball forming method according to claim 5 wherein the adhering the solder attach film comprises adhered the flux layer to a surface of the semiconductor die that is exposed through the aperture of the substrate.
7. The solder ball forming method according to claim 6 wherein the flux layer and the solder layer remain in the area corresponding to the surface of the semiconductor die exposed through the aperture of the substrate; and the solder layer into a furnace further comprises fusing and fixing the solder layer to the surface of the semiconductor die, thereby forming a solder region.
6249963 | June 26, 2001 | Chou et al. |
6930031 | August 16, 2005 | Huang |
20070145548 | June 28, 2007 | Park et al. |
Type: Grant
Filed: Oct 19, 2007
Date of Patent: May 18, 2010
Assignee: Amkor Technology, Inc. (Chandler, AZ)
Inventors: Min Yoo (Seoul), Tae Seong Kim (Kyunggi-do), Ji Young Chung (Kyunggi-do)
Primary Examiner: Matthew C Landau
Assistant Examiner: Yu-Hsi Sun
Attorney: Gunnison, McKay & Hodgson, L.L.P.
Application Number: 11/875,597
International Classification: H01L 21/44 (20060101);